HC fixes schedule for prayers at Aluva church

Court bans cameras and mobile phones inside the church

A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Friday fixed timings for the two factions of the Malankara Church to offer prayers at the Thrikkunnathu Seminary Church in Aluva and at the tombs of the fathers of the Church as part of memorial prayer.The Bench comprising Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan and Justice A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar ordered that the members of the Orthodox faction offer their prayers from 7a.m. to 11 a.m. and the members of the Patriarch faction from 1p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.

The court passed the order on a petition filed by the Ernakulam District Collector seeking directives from the court for the smooth conduct of the annual festival.

The Bench directed that the faithful could enter the church in groups not exceeding 10 persons. Each group should not take more than 10 minutes for prayers. The court banned cameras and mobile phones inside the church. The heads of both the factions should enter the church during the last ten minutes allotted to respective factions for administrative reason.The court appointed High Court lawyer Sreelal Warrier as observer to oversee the implementation of the court directives.